Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-25
A POLITICAL BOMB.
A Letter from Mayor Hewitt Read at the
New York Southern SocIety's Ban.
Citizenship Sold.
A Retrograde Movement in tho North
while the South, with Free Citizenship,
is Steadily Advancing.

NEW YORK, Feb. 23.-The following
letter from Mayor Hewitt was read at the
New York Southern Society's banquet
last night: "There WAS but one excep-
ton in the constitution as originally
formed to guarantee the personal liberty
Of every citizen, aud the result on the
fortunes of the north and south was most
marked, aud is now apparent to every
student OF politics. Where labor is free
and @ citizen may dispose of his time and
efforts as he sees tit, progress, even
where natural resources are few, is inev-
table. The resources of the south in
coal and iron and other useful metals
were perfectly well-known before the
civil war. / called attention to them
as early as 1856, and predicted
then the development which is
now going on almost miraculous
in is extent and rapidity. l suppose the
demonstration is complete even to every
southern man, that the liberty of citizens
is essential to the prosperity of society,
and vet while this demonstration was
then going On for years in the south q re-
trOgede movement had been rnaugurated
IL the north, looking to the enslayement
OF citizens, and the destruction of all
rights of tree action except so far as it
NAV be exercised in the choice of ire
sp nsible agents TO whom 9 secret organ
iZltiOn see fit to entrust the power. With
in the last few weeks we have seen large
bodies of men confessiDg that they had
no grievances, deliberately quit work on
the order of secret tribunal, whose
power they dared not call in
question and Of whom every man stood
IN dread. 1t is Incredible that in the
north, where the fruits of free govern
ment and of the personal right of each
man to employ himself according 10 his
own will have been so conspicuously
demonstrated by the growth of q hundred
years, any man would he willing TO
sacrifice his personal independence ard
yield 1t TO ignorant, selfish and unscru-
pulous leaders, using this power only
for their personal advantage. Indeed,
such tyranny would never have been pos
sib!e but for the ingenious, danger
Gus heresy which made it possible
for men to refuse to work with
other men VINO have not seen
fit 10 join those secret organizations.
Society never contemplates that this
power would be exercised so as to prac-
tically reduce any portion of workmen on
the land co q condition of not being able
to get work upon any terms whatever eX-
cept compulsory membership with Or
CARNATIONS governed by secret and
irresponsible tribunal. When men who
are seeking work find that there is only
one condition upon which they can get it,
they must surrender their private views
and personal in ependerce TO the neces-
stiles of the case. This sacrifice having
been made the power of the leaders be-
comes absolute. We all SympathiZe with
the workingmen of the country, and are
glad that the wages OF lab n are steadily
on the increase. We rejoice that capital
has SO increased that it daily becomes
cheaper to those who are compelled to
borrow 1t, because labor profits when
the cost of capital is reduced,
but the benefits which would thus under
the national laws accrue to
the great mass of the people is
largely, if not entirely, neutralized by
the losses oi compulsory strikes and en-
forced idleness. No one would interfere
With the right OF free association on
the part of any class of our citizens. On
the contrary, such associations are to be
= --CSeA9SS-l 1AG " 1hC pOIhS hAlClC luCI
undertake 60 deprive the citizen of his |
personal liberty. At this point, not only
the constitution of the country is at
tackled, but its progress in wealth will be
and all incentives to special
EFFORT in order to achieve larger rewards |
due 10 skill and genius will |
be arrested. Hence, you of the south |
aud We oilthc north must take firm, de- |
cided position thai under no circum- |
stances We will permit he labor of the |
citizen to be enslaved, and that If ad- |
ditionai legislation is required to meet |
This new aud perniCiOus movement which |!
would Telesete the north to the condition |
in which the south was before the war in |
regard to its labor, no time should be |
lost in securing It's enactment. There is no
doubt that revision OF the
laws relating to employment |
i necessary and while 1 have abundant
faith in the good sense of our people and !
ia the utter failure 20 class movements |
which are at war with the fundamental |
principles of the constitution, my eXvl
perlence has taught me that the safeguard |
Of the Law IS absolutely essential for the |
security Of society, and that the enfOrce,
ment Of the law is the best guarantee OF,
the stability CT industry and the equitable /
of wealth"
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